FAA airfield cranes

[Airtrooper]

Can anyone help me identify the cranes (and the vehicles on which they're mounted) in this 1960s photo of RNAS Lossiemouth please?

Many thanks

Andy

Cranes closeup.jpg

[philbasildon]

The machine on the left is for recovering crashed aircraft in particular those that have made a 'wheels up' landing. I am not sure of the manufacturer but it could be an American make. The one to the right is Coles crane mounted on what looks like a 6X4 or 6X6 chassis. Most of the Coles mobile cranes used AEC chassis. The crane on the extreme right is difficult to identify but it has the appearance of an Iron Fairy.

[PETERTHEEATER]

The left hand unit may be a Le Tourneau. I had some dealings with a monster aircraft crash recovery LT unit at RAAF Butterworh in the early 60s

Second or third picture down: http://www.letu.edu/_Academics/libra...es/page_2.html

[mawganmad]

The crane on the left looks like the type that was kept on the RN aircraft carriers, their use was essential in being capable of quickly removing a damaged aircraft from the landing area of the flight deck, vital for allowing a stream of aircraft to continue recovering to the deck.
Believe the advantage of them was that they were already rigged and capable to remove a complete aircraft, just needed putting in place, unlike a normal jib & cables crane.

Agree with Peter about type.
I think they were nicknamed the 'jumbo crane'.

[Airtrooper]

Many thanks for your replies Phil and Peter! Now I'm really starting to learn things about cranes!

I believe I can see Coles logo now on one of the cranes to the right of the photo, but the chassis looks relatively modern (for the 1960s). Can anyone shed light on the model and manufacturer? It may indeed be AEC, but I need to investigate further...

The crane to the left does indeed look like a Le Tourneau from the USA, just like this one used on American aircraft carriers in WWII, but with a built over cab:

b07.jpg

What I'll be after next is blueprints and/or dimensions! Le Tourneau seems to concentrate on mining and forestry these days, but I may still drop them a line. Does anyone have any other suggestions?

[PETERTHEEATER]

I can suggest only that you try and track down something on Le Tourneau cranes in United States Navy use WW2 and post-war. The British Royal Navy if they used them would have bought a suitable model from the US.

Knowing how 'big' everything is in the US I feel sure that there is a collectors society specialising in plant and heavy lift gear!

Try also Australian Navy/Air Force searches.

[philbasildon]

The Coles cranes were mounted on AEC, Foden or Thorneycroft chassis. Most British military cranes were AEC sharing components with the AEC Militant.

[Airtrooper]

Here is another photo I found of a similar (same?) Coles crane, this time at HMS Heron (RNAS Yeovilton). My guess is the chassis is a Foden. Can anyone confirm?

The tail in the foreground is a Meteor TT20 from the FRU at Hurn.

8381767600_a384f84899_b_d.jpg

[philbasildon]

It could be a Foden or an AEC.